Well-pumping system



Jan. 26, 1965 c. s. CORLEY, JR., ETAL 3,166,944

WELL-PUMPING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1962 INVENTORS.CHARLES B. CORLEY, JR.,

PETER R-MCSTRAVICK,

ATTO RNEY.

Jan. 26, 1965 c. B. CORLEY, JR., ETAL 3,166,944

WELL-PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.CHARLES B. CORLEY, JR.,

PETER R. Mc STRAVICK,

hwi mmi ATTOR NEY.

Jan. 26, 1965 c. B. CORLEY, JR., ETAL 3,166,944

WELL-PUMPING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 15. 1962 FIG. 7.

INVENTORS. CHARLES B. CORLEY, JR., PETER R. McSTRAVICK,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent This invention relates to the pumping of wells.More particularly, this invention is an improved well-pumping 3 systemfor simultaneously pumping a multiple completion-type well.

Usually, in pumping a plurality of wells or a multiple completion-typewell, one pumping unit complete in itself is used to pump eachcompletion as needed. Hence, if there are, for example, fourcompletions, four complete pumping units are required. Therefore, amethod of pumping several completions with only one pumping unit ishighly desirable. This would eliminate an obvious duplication ofmaterial and expense.

The invention to be described herein uses only one pumping unit. Thispumping unit can be used to simultaneously pump a plurality of wells.

Briefly described, the new pumping system includes a single main pumpingunit. Means are operated by the pumping unit to move a plurality ofpulley drive shafts in back-and-forth rotative movement. A number ofpulleys are mounted on the drive shafts, the total number correspondingto the number of wells to be pumped. Means, such as flexible cables, areconnected to each pulley and lead to the corresponding completion wellfor operating a subsurface pump.

The invention, as well as its many advantages, will be furtherunderstood by reference to the following detailed description anddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of our new pumping system;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a pump for operating the main drive,the main drive being shown along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are modifications of the gear mounts of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a modification of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 4, a main pumpingunit indicated generally by the numeral 10 is shown supported on support12 which may be positioned at any desired height above the earthssurface. The pumping unit 10 includes a gearbox 14 operated by a sourceof power (not shown). The power operates a rotatable weight 16 to whicha pitman rod 18 is connected. The pitman rod 18 is, in turn, connectedto the walking beam 20 having a horsehead 22.

A cable 24 is connected to the horsehead 22 and leads to a main drivepulley 26 rigidly mounted on a main drive shaft 28. Referring to FIG. 1,it can be seen that the main drive shaft 28 has its ends mounted withina generally U-shaped support 30. The main drive pulley 26 is provided onone side thereof with gear teeth 32 (see FIG. 2) adapted to engage bevelgear 34. Gear teeth (not shown) on the other side of main drive pulley26 are adapted to engage bevel gear 36.

Bevel gear 34 is connected through shaft 38 to a universal and slipjoint 40. Universal and slip joint 40 has its other end connected to ashaft 42 mounted within support 44. A second universal and slip joint 46is also connected to shaft 42 and through shaft 48 to a bevel gear 50mounted within L-shaped support 52. Back-and- 3,166,944 Patented Jan.26, 1965 forth rotative movement of main drive pulley 26 causes shaft 42to be rotated back and forth.

Also, mounted within the L-shaped support 52 is a gear 54 mounted in amanner so as to provide a right-angle drive. In a similar manner,L-shaped supports 56 and 58 provide support for right-angle gear drives60 and 62, respectively.

Shaft 64 supported by bearing 66 is rotated in backand-forth movement bymeans of gear 54 and gear 63 through universal and slip joints 70 and72, respectively. Shaft 74 is rotated in back-and-forth movement bymeans of gears 78 and 80 through universal and slip joints 82 and 34,respectively. Similarly, shaft 86 is rotated in back-and-forth movementby means of gears 88 and 36 through universal and slip joints 90 and 92,respectively.

At least one pulley is mounted on each of the pulley drive shafts. Theactual number of pulleys should preferably correspond to the number ofwells to be pumped. For example, in FIG. 1, four wells are shown.Therefore, pulleys 94, 96, 98, and are shown rigidly connected to pulleydrive shafts 42, 64, 74, and 86, respectively.

A flexible cable 102 is connected to each of the pulleys. The flexiblecables 102 are, in turn, attached to the top of polish rods 104. Eachpolish rod 104 leads through a wellhead and to the subsurface pump usedto pump the well.

As shown in FIG. 3, support 76 is horizontally adjustable for installingvarious pulley sizes. Horizontal adjustment is made by removing bolts106, sliding the base of support 76 in groove 108 provided in base 110,and replacing bolts 106.

In operation, the power source operates the rotating weight 16 whichcauses the horsehead 22 of the pumping unit 10 to move upwardly anddownwardly through the operation of pitman rod 18 and walking beam 20.The up-and-down movement of horsehead 22 causes the main drive pulley 26to be moved in back-and-forth rotative movement. This movement is causedby the connection of cable 24 to the horsehead 22 and the main drivepulley 26. The back-and-forth rotative movement of main drive pulley 26causes the back-and-forth rotative movement of pulleys 94, 96, 9S, and100 to operate the pumps in the subsurface wells.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, as the main drive pulley 26 is moveddownwardly, all the cables on all the pulleys are also moved downwardly.Conversely, when main drive pulley 26 moves upwardly, all the cables onall the pulleys are moved upwardly. With a less powerful pumping unit,this may create an undesirable load on the pumping unit. Hence,modifications are shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 as substitutes for L-shapedmembers 58 and 52. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, C-shaped members 112and 114 are substituted for L-shaped members 58 and 52, respectively.Also, outboard gears 116 and 118 are substituted for inboard gears 80and 54, respectively. With this arrangement, pulleys 94 and 100 aremoved downwardly while pulleys 96 and 98 are moved upwardly and viceversa. This tends to reduce the load on the pumping unit.

Stroke variation can also be maintained by using adjustable pulleymounts for up-and-down and horizontal displacement so that various sizesof pulleys can be installed. This modification is shown in FIG. 7.Referring to FIG. 7, the bearing 120 is shown provided with a rigidshaft 122. A pivot arm 124 is connected to the shaft 122 and also to theshaft 126 upon which the pulley 128 is mounted.

A stud 129 is also mounted on the bearing 120. The stud 129 is adaptedto fit into each of a plurality of holes 130 provided in an adjustingarm 132. The adjusting arm 132 is also connected to the pulley driveshaft 126.

The provision of the pivot arm 12 5 and adjusting arm 132 with the holes130 provides for a quick and easy Way of adding diflierent sized pulleysto vary the length of stroke of the pump. The different sized pulleysare shown in broken lines in FIG/7.: The flexible rod cable 134connected to the pulley 1-28 is :packed of? directly in the wellhead 136by means'of the stufiing gland 138. The bearing 120 may also be adjustedhorizontally by incorporating a base mounting as shown in 'FIG. 3.

We claim:

1. A well-pumping system for simultaneously pumping a multiplecompletion Well comprising: a pumping unit; a main drive shaft, a singlemain drive pulley rigidly mounted on the main drive shaft; a cableconnected to the pumping unit and the main drive pulley so that the maindrive pulley is moved in backand-forth rotative movei merit; a pluralityof pulley drive shafts operated by the main drive pulley; supportingmeans for supporting the plurality of pulley drive shafts; at least onepulley mounted on each pulley drive shaft; and means connected to eachpulley and leading to a corresponding completion for operating asubsurface pump.

2. A well-pumping system in accordance with claim 1 wherein a universaljoint is included on each pulley drive shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS162,466 Nickerson et al Apr. 20, 1875 1,245,168 Vfright Nov. 6, 19171,620,795 Black Mar. 15, 1927 2,268,945 Kelley Jan. 6, 1942 3,627,771Winfrey Apr. 3, 1962

1. A WELL-PUMPING SYSTEM FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PUMPING A MULTIPLECOMPLETION WELL COMPRISING: A PUMPING UNIT; A MAIN DRIVE SHAFT; A SINGLEMAIN DRIVE PULLEY RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON THE MAIN DRIVE SHAFT; A CABLECONNECTED TO THE PUMPING UNIT AND THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY SO THAT THE MAINDRIVE PULLEY IS MOVED IN BACK-AND-FORTH ROTATIVE MOVE MENT; A PLURALITYOF PULLEY DRIVE SHAFTS OPERATED BY THE MAIN DRIVE PULLEY; SUPPORTINGMEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE PLURALITY OF PULLEY DRIVE SHAFTS; AT LEAST ONEPULLEY MOUNT ED ON EACH PULLEY DRIVE SHAFTS; AND MEANS CONNECTED TO EACHPULLEY AND LEADING TO A CORRESPONDING COMPLETION FOR OPERATING ASUBSURFACE PUMP.